Holly is a symbol of goodwill and joy. In the Victorian language of flowers, holly means foresight. Holly is seen as a symbol of good luck in both Christianity and Islam. But most importantly for me, it is said that disputes are often solved "under the holly tree"

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Thursday, September 13, 2007

I just received the below article and this message in an email from a friend. This is OUTRAGEOUS!

Rev. Yearwood, Chair of the Hip Hop Caucus and PDA Board Member, wore an I LOVE THE PEOPLE OF IRAQ button and for that the Capitol Hill police beat him up, sending him to the hospital in a wheelchair.

To stop further intimidation of anti-war protestors, call for an investigation and arrest of the police involved. Contact Cap Hill Police Public Information Officer Kimberly Schneider: Phone (202) 224-1677 and FAX (202) 228-2592. When I spoke with Ms. Schneider this morning, her attitude was surly, downplaying the Yearwood assault and maintaining there was absolutely no reason for an investigation.

For more on the arrest, read on, then follow the controversy over talking about Iraqi deaths in mainstream America, as well as inside the anti-war movement. Why was Yearwood's button so significant? What if we all wore buttons that read I LOVE THE PEOPLE OF IRAQ. How different our conversations would be.

Rev. Lennox Yearwood of the Hip Hop Caucus wanted to attend the Petraeus Hearings yesterday. He stood on line waiting his turn to enter the room. This is what happened to him.

Capitol Hill Police "football tackled" Hip Hop Activist who was in line to enter hearing room for General Petreus' testimony on Capitol Hill

Rev. Lennox Yearwood, Jr., president of the Hip Hop Caucus, was attacked by six capitol police today, when he was stopped from entering the Cannon Caucus Room on Capitol Hill, where General Petreaus gave testimony today to a joint hearing for the House Arms Services Committee and Foreign Relations Committee on the war in Iraq.

After waiting in line throughout the morning for the hearing that was scheduled to start at 12:30pm, Rev. Yearwood was stopped from entering the room, while others behind him were allowed to enter. He told the officers blocking his ability to enter the room, that he was waiting in line with everyone else and had the right to enter as well. When they threatened him with arrest he responded with "I will not be arrested today." According to witnesses, six capitol police, without warning, "football tackled him. He was carried off in a wheel chair by DC Fire and Emergency to George Washington Hospital.

Rev. Yearwood was examined for possible head and leg injuries then transferred to Central Processing. He has been charged with "assaulting a police officer."

Rev. Yearwood said as he was being released from the hospital to be taken to central booking, "The officers decided I was not going to get in Gen. Petreaus' hearing when they saw my button, which says 'I LOVE THE PEOPLE OF IRAQ.'"

The Capitol Police work for the Speaker's Office. I'm calling the Speaker's office to "discuss" this and I hope you will too. Her office number is:(202) 225-0100.

(Update: Liz from Hip Hop Caucus is at court and can't get online, but wanted people to know that Rev. Yearwood has a broken leg, he's in a cast and he's being arraigned for assaulting an officer and disorderly conduct. Updates as we get them -- JH)

VIDEO:

More at The SuperSpade. Hip Hop Caucus will join Iraq Veterans Against the War, Veterans for Peace, Camp Casey Peace Institute, the ANSWER Coalition, Muslim American Society Freedom Foundation, National Council of Arab-Americans, Grassroots America in Washington DC on September 15 for an antiwar protest timed to coincide with the report by General Petraeus on the "Surge" in Iraq.

On another note: Last Christmas, many members of our local peace coalition were forced to leave or be arrested for walking together through South Coast Plaza with PEACE shirts or out of Iraq type messages-occasionally they were singing carols. They were told by the mall security they were "disruptive" and breaking mall rules. One member WAS arrested to refusing to leave.

Reverand Yearwood mentions Colonel Ann Wright. Read her letter of resignation to Colin Powell immediately upon our invasion of Iraq. If you aren't aware of the anti-war movement here in the US, Colonel Ann is a MAJOR participant.